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Reports quoting sources say India’s players might refuse to travel to Brisbane if they are going to be subjected to a hard lockdown

Reuters03-Jan-2021

The Indians are reportedly unhappy about possibly re-entering strict quarantine in Brisbane.•Getty Images

The schedule for Australia’s Test series against India has come under threat after reports on Sunday that the visitors are unhappy at the prospect of re-entering strict quarantine for the fourth Test in Brisbane.The third Test in the four-match series is slated to start in Sydney on Thursday after Cricket Australia decided not to move the match in the wake of an outbreak of Covid-19 cases in the city’s northern beaches. On Monday, both squads will fly to New South Wales, which reported eight new locally transmitted cases of the virus and ramped up social distancing measures on Sunday.Queensland state has closed its border with Greater Sydney and although agreement has been reached to allow the players to fly to Brisbane for the fourth Test on January 15, there is uncertainty as to what level of restrictions they would face after having been in Sydney.Reports in the Australian media, citing sources within the touring party, said India’s players, many of whom have been in some form of quarantine or other for six months, would refuse to travel if they were going to be subjected to a hard lockdown. A spokesperson for the India team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports.Related

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India’s players underwent 14 days of strict quarantine after their arrival in Australia, but have since enjoyed more freedom while preparing for and playing matches in Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. There are still some restrictions, however, and five Indian players were placed in isolation on Saturday after a video surfaced showing them eating inside a Melbourne restaurant on New Year’s Day. The Australian and Indian cricket boards are investigating the alleged breach of bio-security protocols with precedent suggesting the players might be fined for their actions.Sydney, which at one stage looked like losing the third Test to Melbourne, would be the most likely beneficiary if it was decided to move the fourth match from Brisbane.The acting premier of New South Wales state, John Barilaro, told reporters on Sunday that the government was focusing on staging the third Test safely in front of a crowd of up to 20,000 fans. “We’re going to commit to the test we have,” he said. “If an opportunity arises post that, we’ll take that opportunity then.”Matthew Wade said the Australian players had been told the protocols would be stricter in Brisbane but rejected the idea that there was now uncertainty over the schedule. “There’s a lot of talk out there but for us as a group and me position personally, we’ll go Sydney and play the SCG and then we’ll go the Brisbane and play the Gabba,” he told reporters. “Until the powers that be knock on the door and tell us that that’s going to change, we just roll onto the next game…”

Celtic have not made a signing since the summer transfer window officially opened for business in the middle of last month but that could be about to change in the coming days or weeks.

Brendan Rodgers is no stranger to utilising the loan market to his advantage during his career as a manager and did so to great effect last season with the Hoops.

Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah were brought in on loan from Benfica and Norwich City respectively and both played a key role on the pitch, which was illustrated when they combined for the winning goal in the SFA Cup final at Hampden Park in May.

The Scottish giants are now reportedly close to landing a deal to bring one of them back to Parkhead on a permanent basis for the 2024/25 campaign and beyond.

Celtic closing in on £6m agreement

According to Football Insider, the Hoops are close to agreeing a transfer to sign Bernardo from Benfica after his promising loan stint in Glasgow last term.

The report claims that talks are advancing between the two clubs and that there is a confidence from Celtic's end that they can get a move over the line before the end of the window.

It also states that Rodgers gave the board the green light to pursue a permanent swoop for the Portugal U21 international and that a fee of £6m is likely to be the figure agreed for the talented midfielder.

This comes shortly after it was reported that the Hoops had entered into talks with Benfica to attempt to sign the midfielder for £4m, which suggests that they have now compromised on that and moved closer to the Liga Portugal side's valuation.

Bernardo could now become Youri Tielemans 2.0 for Rodgers, who managed the Belgian magician during their time together at Leicester City.

Why Paulo Bernardo could be Youri Tielemans 2.0

The Foxes had snapped the Monaco ace up on loan for the second half of the 2018/19 campaign in January 2019, a month before they appointed the Northern Irishman from Parkhead.

Tielemans produced three goals and four assists in 13 Premier League starts during that loan stint before Leicester secured him on a permanent basis in the summer of 2019.

The Belgium international went on to rack up 28 goals and 25 assists in 184 appearances in all competitions for Rodgers, including a winning goal in the 2021 FA Cup final against Chelsea.

Bernardo, who was hailed as a "baller" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could now be Tielemans 2.0 for the manager as another talented midfielder who can chip in with goals and assists signed on a permanent deal after a promising loan spell.

Appearances

22

Starts

11

Goals

3

Assists

3

Big chances created

4

Pass accuracy

83%

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese whiz's form in the Scottish Premiership was not too dissimilar to Tielemans' form in the Premier League during his first stint at the King Power, with six goal contributions in 11 starts compared to seven in 13.

Both players are central midfielders who look to push forward to make an impact at the top end of the pitch as scorers and creators of goals, as shown by their respective statistics.

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Therefore, Rodgers could repeat the blinder he played with the Belgian star by signing Bernardo permanently and helping him to become a consistent contributor from midfield over the years to come at Parkhead.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca says he felt there was no need to bring on Cole Palmer in the Blues' 2-0 Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle on Wednesday.

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Chelsea knocked out by NewcastlePalmer unused substituteMaresca says star was not neededFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the last-16 stage, losing 2-0 to Newcastle despite beating them at Stamford Bridge a few days earlier. Maresca opted to include Palmer in the squad as a substitute and the 22-year-old did not even get the call to come on with his side trailing by two goals.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT MARESCA SAID

The former Leicester boss explained his decision to leave Palmer out, saying: "Simply because I think Joao [Felix] and Christo [Nkunku] were doing very good. The reason why [we brought him] was in case we needed Cole but Joao and Christo were doing well so there was no need to change."

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Palmer's omission is probably deeper than what Maresca explained in his post-match press conference. The Blues are heavily reliant on the young England star and therefore must manage his minutes coming into a busy period. Palmer was also left out of Chelsea's squad for the Conference League and is seemingly being prioritised for Premier League action instead.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

A big match is on the horizon for Maresca's side on Sunday when Chelsea take on Manchester United at Old Trafford. There is no doubting Palmer will be involved in that game as the London team look to break into the Premier League's top four.

A European club have set their sights on bringing on signing a young "prolific scorer" from Arsenal this summer, and they're set to open talks over a deal this week.

Arsenal set for summer sales to bolster transfer kitty

The north Londoners, after just missing out on the Premier League title to Man City for the second consecutive campaign, now turn their attentions to the summer transfer window in a bid to reinforce Mikel Arteta's ranks.

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It has been reported that the Gunners and sporting director Edu want to bring in a new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward (Simon Collings) – with new arrivals potentially coming in across the first team.

Aaron Ramsdale is likely to leave Arsenal after becoming Arteta's second choice keeper behind David Raya, with Edu rumoured to be targeting a replacement. Elsewhere, Arsenal have been heavily linked with Turkey and Fenerbahce full-back Ferdi Kadioglu, with some reports even claiming they've agreed personal terms.

Arsenal players linked with 2024 summer exits
Aaron Ramsdale
Thomas Partey
Gabriel Jesus
Eddie Nketiah
Reiss Nelson
Emile Smith Rowe
Fabio Vieira
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Kieran Tierney
Nuno Tavares

In midfield, Edu is apparently ready to sell Emile Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah to fund a move for Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes – who could well come in to replace Thomas Partey as uncertainty surrounds the Ghanaian's future.

Gabriel Jesus has also been linked with an Arsenal exit in recent weeks, so Arteta and the board are not exactly short of sale nominees to bolster their kitty this summer. Edu, speaking to the media recently, says the club's summer transfer process has been thought out since January.

"You can’t sign players for the sake of signing," said Edu on Arsenal's transfer plans.

"This has to be a process that takes weeks and weeks. There on my desk, I have reports with more than 180 pages on a player. It’s really detailed stuff. Physical, technical, mental profile, if you have Premier League experience, if you will be able to adapt. It has everything.

"We analyse our weaknesses, where we can improve, where we can invest and then we go in search of that new name. What I am going to do now, we have been discussing since January. It’s not my decision or Mikel’s alone. It belongs to a whole group."

Sturm Graz set to open talks with Arsenal over Mika Biereth this week

Another player who could collect a fee to enhance Arsenal's summer activity is 21-year-old forward Mika Biereth.

The Dane has enjoyed a stellar half-season loan at Sturm Graz over the last few months, scoring nine goals and bagging a further four assists. Called a "prolific goalscorer" by Standard Sport, the outlet claims Sturm Graz are set to open talks over signing Biereth permanently this week.

The young attacker signed from Fulham in 2021, but hasn't yet been handed the nod by Arteta – instead going out on loan to RKC Waalwijk, Motherwell and Sturm Graz during his time at the Emirates.

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will be held in Karachi; domestic season to begin September 30

Umar Farooq04-Sep-2020

PCB

With three ICC tournaments due to be played over the next two years, Pakistan have doubled the number of white-ball games in their domestic structure. The National T20 Cup, ODI Cup and the Under-19 one-day tournament will now be played in a double round-robin league format.The PCB has announced a full season with six associations aiming to showcase their ability to form bio-secure bubbles to attract international teams. Pakistan are slated to host Zimbabwe and South Africa over the next six months.With an apparent decline in covid cases in Pakistan, the PCB in August principally decided to resume professional cricket after a 24-week hiatus. The PCB has opened up training facilities at its National High-Performance Centre (NHPC) in Lahore, while maintaining a strictly controlled environment.They have also issued an advisory to restart the sport at the grassroots and recreational level with adequate safety measures in place. The situation around Covid-19 in Pakistan is nearly under control, and a sense of normalcy has begun to return. Tourism, stores and malls, restaurants and public transportation have already opened up, and educational institutes are likely be operational in phases from September 15.The season is set to start from September 30 with the National T20 Cup, played over two legs, in Multan or Rawalpindi. The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with both first XI and second XI, will be held entirely in Karachi across six venues with the format unchanged. However, with teams not needed to travel inter-city for matches, the gaps between matches have been reduced by, resulting in the tournament having a total length of 72 days as compared to 104 in the previous season.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

All white-ball tournaments across all levels were played on a single-league basis until the previous season. However, the presence of three ICC events over the next two years have forced a change. This new structure will allow each side to play minimum of 10 league matches in each white-ball competition. Teams making the semi-finals and finals will get additional games. Tournaments involving the second XIs will continue to be single-league format.”In the uncertain Covid-19 situation, I am pleased that we have been able to put together a complete domestic cricket schedule,” said Nadeem Khan, director High Performance. “It is challenging, but this will contribute significantly in getting the best out of all the players that, in turn, will uplift the quality and standard of our home cricket. There has been a strategy and vision behind preparing this schedule, and the most notable is the increase in number of white-ball matches at the senior and age-group level.”The increase in number of matches will not only provide a fair and equal opportunity to all the talented players, it will increase their earnings too. This is something we have been very mindful of and careful about since the revamp of the domestic structure. This has been done after taking into consideration our team’s current international performances and rankings in white-ball cricket as well as with a look into the future. All this while also providing optimum chances to the deserving and budding cricketers to thoroughly show their mettle and impress the national selectors.”Until July, there was considerable doubt over the possibility of the season, with Pakistan recording around 275,000 covid cases. The curve started to flatten even as the PCB briefly considered the possibility of postponing the season. However, with the cases coming under control, the PCB has decided to go ahead to form bio-bubbles to conduct the domestic season.As such, the postponement wasn’t going to cost PCB much financially since they spent over a billion rupees from their own kitty, knowing fully well they wouldn’t be able to leverage much commercially. Any delay or postponement as such would have however cost a year to the next batch of Under-19 players in the system.

N Srinivasan has revealed he overruled the selection panel and “exercised all my authority” as BCCI president to save MS Dhoni’s captaincy in 2011. Dhoni’s position had come under scrutiny, despite India’s World Cup win, after they had been whitewashed 4-0 in the Test series in England and Australia.The Australia reversal, in particular, made the national selectors contemplate appointing a new ODI captain for the tri-series that was to follow. However, this is when Srinivasan is believed to have vetoed any such move by the selectors.Under the BCCI’s constitution at the time, every appointment had to be ratified by the board president. Therefore Srinivasan was within his rights to intervene in this matter. It is not clear, however, whether another captain was picked by the selectors and vetoed by Srinivasan (as the rule specified); his comment only says he ensured Dhoni was retained as captain.”This was 2011. India had won the World Cup. And [then] in Australia, we didn’t do well in the Tests. So, one of the selectors wanted to remove Dhoni as the ODI captain,” Srinivasan told the . “The point is, how do you remove him as the ODI captain?”He had won the World Cup [in April 2011]. The selectors had not even thought of who would be his replacement. There was a discussion and then [before the formal meeting] and I said there was no way in which he would not be a player [captain].”In fact, it was a holiday. I was playing golf. I came back. Sanjay Jagdale was the [BCCI] secretary at that time and he said, ‘Sir, they [selectors] are refusing to choose the captain. They will take him [Dhoni] in the team [as a player].’ I came and said that MS Dhoni would be the captain. I exercised all my authority as the [BCCI] president.”ALSO READ: Dhoni sacking blocked by board chief – Mohinder AmarnathSrinivasan’s comments merely confirm what was widely speculated at the time. That the BCCI president, who also happened to be the owner of the IPL franchise (Chennai Super Kings) Dhoni captained, intervened to prevent a captaincy change.There was also speculation that this also led to Mohinder Amarnath being sacked as a selector when he was tipped to take over as chairman of the selection committee from Kris Srikkanth. Amarnath had been vocal in his decision to oust Dhoni as captain at the time. Sandeep Patil, Amarnath’s former India team-mate, eventually took over.‘Dhoni can play for CSK as long as he wants’Srinivasan has also left the door open for Dhoni to play for CSK for as long as he wants. Dhoni announced his international retirement on August 15 from Chennai, where he is currently involved in a preparatory camp with the other Indian players before flying out to Dubai for the 2020 IPL.”He can play for CSK as long as he wants,” Srinivasan said. “At present, let CSK win the IPL. One of the reasons for CSK’s success under Dhoni is that he never thinks beyond the match. He never digresses. And we will follow the same policy now.”Earlier this month, Kasi Viswanathan, the Super Kings CEO, said they expect Dhoni to play for the franchise for another two years at least.

West Ham are set to return for a future star this summer, it has emerged, with the attacker having caught the eye with a string of excellent performances.

Hammers need more firepower

It is no secret that David Moyes' side are in need of more in the final third of the pitch, but they appear to have the opposite of the midas touch when it comes to recruiting strikers. The Premier League side have tried to sign big name forwards in recent years, with Sebastien Haller arriving from Ajax for £45m and Gianluca Scamacca moving from Sassuolo to east London in a deal worth £35m.

But neither enjoyed their time at the London Stadium, and the pair were quickly shipped off to other clubs, where they have since excelled.

Meanwhile, winger turned striker Michail Antonio headed home his 67th Premier League goal in West Ham colours during their 2-2 draw with Liverpool, and the 34-year-old still appears to be the only striker that can truly thrive in West Ham's system, continuing to be a regular starter despite his advancing age.

Signed all the way back in 2015, the Hammers have signed ten strikers in the nine years since, but only Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez can claim to have had a successful spell in east London.

Three of those ten have joined and left the club without finding the back of the net, while the Hammers made a hefty loss on just about all of them in the transfer market.

West Ham's striker signings since Michail Antonio

Player

Year signed

PL Goals for West Ham

PL Minutes per goal

Danny Ings

2023

3

376

Gianluca Scamacca

2022

3

309

Sebastien Haller

2019

10

320

Albian Ajeti

2019

0

N/A

Lucas Perez

2018

3

155

Jordan Hugill

2017

0

N/A

Marko Arnautovic

2017

21

205.8

Chicharito

2017

16

186.5

Simone Zaza

2016

0

N/A

Jonathan Calleri

2016

1

531

Now, Moyes' side are hoping to change the worrying pattern with their latest addition.

Future superstar on West Ham's radar

That comes courtesy of reports in Brazil (via Sport Witness), who have linked West Ham with a second offer for impressive attacker Wesley Gassova, after Tim Steidten was reportedly in Brazil to watch the talented teen.

The Hammers have already seen one bid rejected by Corinthians for their forward, with claims that the Premier League side tabled a 15m euro offer for the 19-year-old. However, ESPN Brazil now claim that the Hammers have returned for the player, upping their offer to 18m euros (£15.3m)

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Though Corinthians are yet to agree to the offer, it is added that "intermediaries involved in the operation are trying to convince them to change their mind" and they expect "more developments in this case in the next few hours or days".

Wesley has been a regular for Corinthians, playing across the frontline for the Brazilian outfit, and has been hailed a future superstar by talent scout Ben Mattinson.

Should he make the move to the London Stadium, he will be given the ultimate opportunity to prove that he is just that.

It has been another brilliant season for Arsenal this year, and while the ultimate fate of the Premier League is now in Manchester City's hands, the Gunners look set to challenge for some time to come.

The North Londoner's rejuvenation has been in large part thanks to the combined efforts of manager Mikel Arteta and Sporting Director Edu Gaspar.

The pair have flipped the script on the club's history of lacklustre transfer dealings by overseeing successful signing after successful signing in the last few years.

Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Ben White have all been transformational additions to the team, but another signing deserves just as much praise, and his recent valuation is proof as much.

Leandro Trossard's Arsenal career

The player in question is Belgium international Leandro Trossard, who signed for the Gunners from Brighton & Hove Albion midway through last season.

While it can often take signings a little while to settle into their new team and surroundings, the Maasmechelen-born winger looked at home from his first appearance.

By the end of the season, the 29-year-old had provided ten assists and scored one goal in just 22 appearances – 11 of which were starts – meaning he was averaging a goal involvement every other game from the word go.

Appearances

22

44

Goals

1

16

Assists

10

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.40

His most impressive performance came away to Fulham in mid-March, as in just his sixth start as an Arsenal player, he provided a hat-trick of assists in the first half to essentially win his side the game before the interval.

At the end of the season, the right-footed "wizard," as described by journalist Charlie Haffenden, had the second-most assists of any Arsenal player across all competitions, which is truly remarkable considering the significant headstart his teammates had over him.

1

Bukayo Saka

11

2

Leandro Trossard

10

3

Granit Xhaka

7

3

Martin Odegaard

7

3

Gabriel Jesus

7

4

Fabio Vieira

6

4

Gabriel Martinelli

6

5

Ben White

5

This season, seemingly bored with being the provider last year, the brilliantly talented Belgian has shifted his focus to scoring goals, and as things stand, he has found the back of the net 16 times in 44 appearances while still picking up two assists for good measure.

In all, Trossard has been an unequivocal success at Arsenal, and the impressive finances behind the deal only make his impact more remarkable.

Leandro Trossard's valuation in 2024

Arsenal paid Brighton just £27m to sign the 28-year-old winger in a deal that was generally seen as a fallback option after missing out on the far pricier Mykhailo Mudryk to Chelsea.

The 5 foot 8 attacker was also given a reasonable wage of £90k-per-week, and so there was little expectation that he would go on to have the sort of impact he has.

Yet, a year and a half later, the 33-capped international's performances have been so impressive that even though he'll turn 30 this year – four years past his peak, according to The Athletic – his valuation has actually increased.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the Arsenal winger is now worth €40m, which is around £34m, or £7m more than he cost the Gunners last January.

To put that into context, as per the same site, he is worth just as much as Ben White and David Raya. Across the Premier League, interestingly, it is also €10m – £9m – more than the valuation of Crystal Palace's tremendously exciting Michael Olise, which just goes to show how impressive the performances of the former Genk man have been.

Olise has been nothing short of exceptional this term too, scoring nine goals and assisting four during an injury-disrupted period that's seen him feature just 17 times. Still, that's been enough to link him with a move to Arsenal in recent times.

Ultimately, while the signings of Rice and Havertz are likely to have a more significant impact on the club's long-term trajectory, the decision to sign Trossard last season was a genius one, and his recent valuation is yet more evidence of that fact. Just imagine if they get Olise too.

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Gary Neville believes Manchester United's late collapse against Brighton has put "an awful lot of pressure" on Erik ten Hag.

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United were beaten 2-1 by BrightonJoao Pedro's late winner stunned the Red DevilsNeville slammed Ten Hag for lacklustre first-halfWHAT HAPPENED?

United's hopes of securing at least a point were dashed in the dying moments of the match, as Brighton's Joao Pedro netted a late winner deep into stoppage time. The goal came after United had managed to level the score in the second half through Amad Diallo, who cancelled out an earlier strike by former United player Danny Welbeck.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT NEVILLE SAID

Neville, in his post-match analysis for , did not hold back in his assessment of United's performance. “A really depressing end to the game,” he remarked. “I thought a draw would have been half acceptable, but to lose the game puts an awful lot of pressure on Erik ten Hag and on towards the game next week against Liverpool.”

Reflecting on the first half, Neville pointed out United's struggles without a recognised centre-forward and highlighted Ten Hag's tactical misstep that potentially cost United valuable time and momentum in the game.

"I think the first half of the game, I don't think anyone was surprised,” Neville observed. “It's very difficult to play football without a centre-forward. You need a focal point up front, and he corrected that at half-time by bringing [Joshua] Zirkzee on, but you've already wasted 45 minutes in the match, and that's a problem.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Neville also hit out at United's defending in the lead-up to Brighton's winning goal as Pedro was left completed unmarked in the far post.

"In the second half, and the first goal was poor defensively, but that last goal I've just watched it, when you clear from a corner you've got to still defend as you would the second phase of a corner," Neville observed.

"In particular if you watch Casemiro it looks to me like he leaves his position at the back post and goes back into central midfield but it then leaves acres of space in the back zone. A lack of concentration, a lack of focus, and it does put some pressure on them."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

As United prepare to face Liverpool, Neville’s words serve as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead for Ten Hag and his squad. The upcoming fixture against their historic rivals could prove pivotal in determining the direction of United's season. With expectations high and pressure mounting, Ten Hag will need to address the issues that have plagued his team in the early stages of the campaign if they are to bounce back and secure a positive result at Old Trafford on September 1.

Glasgow Rangers approach the final eight games of the season with the Premiership title in their grasp.

All they have to do is win their remaining league fixtures and a first title since the 2020/21 season is theirs. Of course, this is easier said than done, especially as they face Celtic in two of their final eight games.

Philippe Clement has given his team plenty of confidence, however, and they won't be fazed by this Celtic side who have struggled in spells under Brendan Rodgers.

The Gers have scored 67 league goals this term, seven fewer than Celtic, yet they have conceded a league best of just 17 goals.

Much of their success this term has been built on a reliable backline and this could prove crucial in the coming weeks, no doubt about that.

Jack Butland has been an inspired signing, to say the least, keeping 23 clean sheets across his 47 matches in all competitions, conceding just 37 goals in the process.

The centre-back pairing of John Souttar and Connor Goldson has thrived in recent months and the duo have become Clement’s first-choice options at the heart of the defence.

Connor Goldson and John Souttar’s Rangers statistics

Souttar endured a tough first season at Ibrox, missing a large chunk of the season due to an ankle injury, but he has become the first choice now that he is fit and healthy.

In 22 Premiership appearances, the Scot has an 88% pass success rate, kept nine clean sheets, made 3.5 clearances per game and won a staggering 75% of his total duels contested – which is 5.8 per game – showing how impressive he is with regard to one on one battles against opposition players.

Metric

John Souttar

Connor Goldson

Accurate passes per game

59.4

61.6

Total duels won per game

5.8

5.8

Tackles per game

0.7

1.4

Possession lost per game

8.5

10.3

Interceptions per game

1

0.3

His strength in the air is also impressive, winning 77% of his aerial duels during the current season, showing Clement that he can become a mainstay in the Rangers starting XI.

Goldson is an excellent partner for Souttar, with the duo playing off each other well and having great chemistry. The Englishman is also a wonderful passer of the ball, holding an 87% pass success rate, along with making 1.4 tackles, three clearances and recovering 5.6 balls per game.

Not only that, but his physical strength has allowed him to win 67% of his total duels this term, proving that him and Souttar are an extremely tough backline to crack.

Going forward, keeping the pair fit will be of major importance to Clement, especially if he aims to add a league title and a Scottish Cup to his League Cup success from earlier this season.

How much Souttar and Goldson are worth

Despite both players performing at close to their best since the turn of the year, this is not reflected by their current market values.

Indeed, Souttar is currently worth just €0.7m (£600k) according to Football Transfers, which places him as the club’s second lowest-valued centre-back.

Goldson, despite being at his peak, is also valued lower than expected. The 31-year-old is currently worth just €2.5m (£2.1m) and it is unlikely a side would make an offer of more than that considering he has just two years left on his contract.

Going by inflation, however, Rangers sold a centre-back more than 15 years ago who was worth more than Souttar and Goldson combined – Carlos Cuellar.

How much Rangers signed Carlos Cuellar for

Following a turbulent 2006/07 season – which was only saved due to the late great Walter Smith steadying the ship – the summer of 2007 was an important one for the club.

There was plenty of transfer activity occurring, with players departing and arriving in equal measure.

In total, 13 new signings arrived at Ibrox, among them Daniel Cousin, Steven Naismith, and DaMarcus Beasley, although it was Cuellar who looked the most interesting signing.

The defender cost just £2m from Spanish side Osasuna, having impressed for the La Liga outfit in a UEFA Cup tie the season prior against the Light Blues.

The Spaniard proved to be an inspired signing and acquitted himself well to Scottish – and indeed continental – football over the course of the season.

He played a total of 65 games for the Gers during his solitary campaign in Glasgow, forming a key component of the side which would remain in contention for a quadruple heading into May.

Unfortunately, they would lose out on both the league title and the UEFA Cup, finishing runners-up to Celtic and Zenit St Petersburg respectively, although they would win the League Cup and Scottish Cup.

Cuellar’s excellent form, especially over the closing months, would soon attract interest from afar as it appeared his stay in Glasgow may be shorter than anticipated.

How much Carlos Cuellar is worth in 2024 money

Aston Villa came in with a bid of £7.8m for Cuellar during the summer of 2008 and, due to Rangers' declining financial situation, it was accepted by Smith as a means to bolster their bank balance.

Signing a player for £2m before selling him for nearly £8m just a year later is excellent business, and judging by inflation, it is clear the Gers hit the jackpot with the Spaniard.

Indeed, in 2024 – with Totally Money having adjusted for inflation over the years – Cuellar would now be worth an eye-watering £24m in today’s market.

Not only is this worth more than both Souttar and Goldson combined, but it could well be worth more than their entire defence, showing just how good Cuellar was during his time at the Ibrox side.

The defender failed to hit the highs he did during his time at Rangers, although he did make 121 appearances for Villa, before having spells at Sunderland and Norwich during his spell in England.

Smith certainly knew how to get the best value for a player and the money raised by his sale went on to help the club in more ways than one.

There is no doubt he was an excellent defender, with his £24m valuation in 2024 certainly evidence of that fact.

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